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University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman still has confidence in Brady Hoke

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Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke addresses the crowd during a pep rally held at the Diag the night before the Michigan Wolverines take on Notre Dame at Michigan Stadium, Friday, Sept. 6.
(Courtney Sacco | The Ann Arbor News)

The University of Michigan president recalls when fans were calling for the firing of basketball coach John Beilein. Fast forward three years and Michigan made it to the Final Four for the first time in two decades.

"Who would ever have predicted last year? It just shows you what will happen," Coleman pondered during a meeting with The Ann Arbor News editorial board Wednesday. "Before that, people were ready to fire John Beilein. Believe me, I know."

Coleman may be hearing similar calls now with Michigan football coach Brady Hoke, and although U-M fired offensive coordinator Al Borges on Wednesday, she isn't ready to part with the Wolverine's head coach.

"I have a lot of confidence in Brady Hoke. I think it takes time and we need to be patient about it," Coleman said. "We're not the kind of school that's going to say 'If you have a bad season, we're going to fire you.' "

Borges was fired after three years on the job, and Alabama's offensive coordinator of two years, Doug Nussmeier, was tapped to replace him, officials announced Thursday.

Borges worked under Hoke for five years, coming to Michigan when Hoke left San Diego State in 2011. Borges guided an offense that finished No. 87 in the country in 2013.

Hoke and Borges enjoyed a good first season in 2011, when the Wolverines went 11-2 and won the Sugar Bowl. But the 2012 season was lackluster, going 8-5, and fans began to lose faith in Michigan this season, when the Wolverines went 7-6.

Coleman and athletic director Dave Brandon have been hearing calls for a change in coaching staff with increasing frequency.

While Coleman asserts that Hoke can't build a football program overnight, she admits that the team needs to improve.

"Football is the underpinning of everything, and so over the long-haul they do need to win," she continued. "That's just the breaks of the game."